The Root of All Evil
by Doomed But Over It
Summary: Alex is on another adventure. This one has dead people in it. It's more of a mystery but has a suspense pace. Bad summary, read please!
1. Of Dead People and Dinner Parties

Alex Rider had a problem. Here he was, on his vacation, with a grand total of 14 corpses on his hands.

It wasn't as if he killed them. They were here first, like unwelcome guests crashing his party. They were clearly warnings. The question was, warnings from who, or more accurately, _why? _

He silently recounted the past few weeks. _Just as I thought. I have not done a thing to piss off any or all mad multimillionaires or psycho dwarves holding grudges. So why the hell are there 14 bleeding bodies in my dining room? _

The answer came to him in an instant. _Of course. The source of all my problems. Why should this be any different? _He felt a flash of annoyance.

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to clean this place up before Sabina comes at seven?" he grumped.

Suddenly, the full impact of the situation crashed into him with all the impact of the Big Bang. _There are 14 corpses in my dining room! Why are there 14 corpses in my dining room? I'm on vacation! Please please please let me have a one week vacation with no corpses...! _

He felt his breathing speed up. His pulse quickened. _No. I will not panic. Panic is my enemy. Bad panic. Panic is bad! NO PANIC! _

His breath came in short little gasps. It didn't help that the smell of rot was wafting to his spot in the kitchen. He turned to the sink and dry retched.

Chest heaving, he reached with shaking hands to fill a cup with cool tap water. _Nothing is wrong. I will look again and nothing will have changed. My dining room will be clean, fresh and empty. _

He turned slowly. _There is nothing there. Nothing at all. AT ALL._ He faced the horrid room reluctantly. _Nothing. Empty. I am being stupid. The lobster didn't agree with me. I swallowed seawater. I took a puff. There was something in the fish. I should have stopped at the third Shirley Temple. _His mind flitted through other excuses that could explain what he was seeing.

If he was hooked up to three dozen needles in a rat lab in the middle of Tuscan, imagining things while evil doctors studied his REM sleep patterns, it was better than dead bodies in his summer cottage.

He finished his slow turn around. The stench of rot was real. There were 14 dead people on his formal table.

"Damn" he said. Then he fainted.


	2. Blunt's Breaking Point

**Chapter 2--- Blunt's Breaking Point**

**By—Doomed but Over it**

Author's Notes---- Sorry about the short chapter last time, guys. I wasn't sure if you would bother with it. Now, I KNOW you won't so I'll do this any way I please. Hahaha. I hope you all like it! READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!

**Disclaimer**--- Me no own, you no sue. Got it fellas? I really don't mean anything personal on my mangling of the Alex Rider series. I met Anthony Horowitz a couple weeks ago. He was nice. Very funny, I loved his accent. It was like….

**Horowitz—**Hello

**Fangirls-- **sigh

**Horowitz**—I am here today to talk to you about—

**Fangirls--** sigh

**Horowitz**—my books; The Alex Rider series.

**Fangirls**—(making up for lost time) sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh

You get the picture, right? His accent was dreamy, but he was old enough to be my father. I saw a picture of his sons. Now they were FINE! Imagine, his accent and his sons' looks. Sigh…..OH NO! I'm turning in to another RABID FANGIRL! HELP!AURGHHH!

_(Kiki Nalani Saraphina Isabel, my muse, enters_) Now, without further adieu, I give you…..chapter 2!

Alex sat in an uncomfortable chair, waiting for the elusive Blunt to show. He studied his surroundings, bored. There wasn't much that showed this was a person's office at all. It was more like a machine's headquarters. There were no personal effects, no pictures, no clutter. The chairs were straight backed and wood, made for intimidation.

The whole office was made for the sole purpose of freaking people out, making them feel small, useless, worthless. It would have scared the life out of any normal school boy. But, then again, Alex wasn't any normal schoolboy.

Alex Rider was very different, because he had been thrust into a grown up world at 14 and expected to stay alive. He had been sent in as live bait, and MI6 expected him to die. It was regrettable, but totally unavoidable.

The thing was, Alex didn't want to die. He was rather happy alive. He was forced to show he could survive, and MI6 knew they had stumbled onto a valuable, although unwilling, treasure.

Alex Rider ceased to be a schoolboy. He was now a weapon, with no feelings of his own. His sole purpose was to identify the enemy and take him/her out. Or at least that's what the few agents who knew about him told themselves. They could not afford to have him be a boy in their minds. He must be dehumanized and turned into a tool, so their respective consciences would allow them to keep calling each other human.

Blunt and Ms. Jones made sure that most of the agents didn't trouble themselves with Alex. A guilty task force was a slow task force, after all. They were the prime people that dealt with Alex, whether it be briefing or filling out his file, he was their problem. Ms. Jones was….attached, and Blunt was hard to understand. Alex could never get a clear fix on what he was thinking. Blunt was scarier than Ms. Jones in a million ways. You could never tell what he was. What do you make of a man who prefers files to people?

Alex reclined. He would be freaked if this wasn't boring. A door creaked behind him. He sat straight up.

"Comfortable, Mr. Rider?" Blunt asked.

Alex's eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure he liked Blunt, and he sure as hell didn't like the sarcasm. He returned rudeness for rudeness.

"why were there corpses in my summer home?" he glared.

"Why, Alex, you act as if its all my fault!" he said with surprise.

Alex lost it. "That's it! I've been doing this for months! I've been shot at, blow up, kidnapped, froze, impaled, photographed and I have _seen _things that I should have never seen! ON TOP of all this I DON'T GET PAID!" Alex's voice rose to a scream "ALL WANTED WAS A NORMAL CORPSE FREE VACATION!"

"Alex, Alex, Alex! You are quite right! I should have never done this to you, you poor thing!"

Alex was taken aback by the agent's tone. "Really?" he asked, unbelievingly.

"NO!" Blunt bellowed. "YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE! DO YOU THINK I WOULD SEND YOU IN IF YOU DID? HAVE YOU EVER **EVER **CONSIDERED THE FACT THAT I MAY NOT WANT TO SEND YOU IN?" he slumped over his desk. "No. No, you didn't." he said more quietly.

Alex stared, stunned by this uncharacteristic display of raw emotion. He stood over him awkwardly. _It's funny. _He thought, _he always seemed so much _taller _than now. And scarier. Now, he's just….human. _

"Get out. I'll see what I can do about your situation. Ask the receptionist for a hotel room. She'll get something ritzy or what ever you want. Just go." Blunt 's voice regained some of its steely quality. Alex exited quietly and went to call Sabina. Today's dinner plans would have to be modified.

Authors Notes: Sorry about the short chapters…I'll try to update often. I'm just a short chapter kind of person. My muse, Kiki Nalani Saraphina Isabel, will take over, as I am too lazy….

_**Right! This is my first big break, so I'll try not to screw it up too bad. Coming Around Next Week: **_

_**Alex and Sabina have an argument…could this be the end? Fangirls cheer! **_

_**What is the deal with the corpses?**_

_**We will finally go (or at least start) to the Caribbean!**_

_**The CIA makes an entrance**_

_**Possible Blunt—Tulip Jones?**_

**Find out next week, or sometime around that, here at THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL! **

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!

Keep reading, please!

_**Love, Doomed**_


	3. The Clash of the Agencies

**Chapter 3—Clash of the Agencies**

**By Doomed but Over It **

**Reader Review Responses --- **

**Silverstrief—thank you for all you did for me. You were my first reviewer ever, and I love you. Muah! **

**Giggle Monkey—I love you more than I can type. You are my little bratty sister!**

**Banana Lizard—Hey Molls, glad you liked it. Quit using my fan fiction as an excuse to promo your stories, you little $#& **

**Candi—Fangs, Lollypop! Lol. Just kidding. **

**(write responses to all my readers!) **

Author's Notes: YAY! School's out! And we all know what that means…Doomed can update faster! Hooray! Please Review…or I will feel unloved and quit writing. Smiles evilly Right then, time for my muse to take over. Cheers all, and here it is; chapter 3!

Disclaimer—me no own, you no sue. Please? I don't mean anything with my horrid mangling of the Alex Rider series. Please don't kill me. Pretty please with cherries on top.

(**_KNSI enters) _**

**_Okay, everyone, you know the drill. Today, we have a generous supply of writer's block, and laziness (Oww! Sorry, Doomed! Gosh!) So please please please read and review, or else her supply of chocolate ice cream will run out and then what's to keep her writing? _**

**_Enjoy! Now, without further adieu, I give you…CHAPTER 3—the clash of the Agencies!_**

Alex stood in the elevator, nervously tapping his foot, his palms sweating. The flowers in his hand felt wilted and sad, and he was strung out like six pots of coffee. Why were first dates so awkward?

_It's not a date. _He reminded himself. _Its just two good friends getting together for dinner. That's _all.

He stepped out of the elevator, searching for room 512, where she would be waiting. Her parents were still recovering from the incident (A/N—this is either Scorpia or Ark Angel, think its Scorpia.) and thought it would be good for her to get out and have some fun, to stop worrying.

_Even so,_ Alex reflected, _her parents would have insisted she live in style, not something a 3 star hotel could offer. It must have been her own decision. Strange. That was unlike the Sabina he knew. What else was different? How much could she have changed in 6 months? _Alex shook his head to clear his mind of these troublesome thoughts. _She is exactly the same as I left her. Just the same old Sabina. _

He knocked on the door, half hoping she'd spring out and say brightly, "Hey Alex, I missed you like mad! I'm so glad I get to see you again!" But, really, she just opened the door, and said demurely "Hi, Alex. It's nice to see you again. Shall we go?"

Alex nodded and offered his arm to her in an act of chivalry long forgotten by modern boyfriends. She took it, and smiled sweetly at him. He felt a little awkward in the face of this strange, ladylike creature. _This is _not _the same old Sabina. _

Blunt reclined in the briefing room. He allowed himself a brief moment of relaxation. Everything was going according to plan. And that was exactly how he preferred it. A buzzer beeped on his desk. He reached over and pressed the button.

"Yes, Marcy?"

"Agents Landez and Shores to see you, sir."

"Ah, yes. The CIA's men? Good, good. Send them in."

"Right away, sir. Do I need to send them in for a security check?"

"No, these men are our guests! That might make us seem….inhospitable."

"Yes sir."

Blunt was in a good enough mood, he didn't even mind the CIA poking their overlong noses in his business. Much.

_I wonder what is bothering them now. I don't think we blew anything up in their territory recently, and we made amends with them by allowing them to borrowing Alex for a mission. It was a shame what happened to their agents, though. _(A/N- Skeleton Key)

Blunt straightened up, and assumed his position at the head of the table. He wished Tulip was there with him. She always lent him some extra authority, not that he needed it. It just helped sometimes.

The door slid open silently and two men in suits stepped into the room. Blunt was forcibly reminded of an American film, one of those science fiction movies his daughter was so fond of, Men in Black.

The Hispanic agent was clearly the boss, and oozed authority and a "don't mess with me, I am so out of your league" attitude. Blunt was not impressed. Any fifth grader with an attitude could pull that off, and a few were more convincing than this clown.

The shorter one was the rookie. He was in his late twenties, a little younger than the Hispanic. He was slightly chubby, white as balloon bread, and nervous.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please sit down." Blunt said, sitting in his own spot at the head of the table. The agents sat a safe distance away, close together. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, we are fine." The taller one answered for both of them. Blunt was reminded forcefully of an over attentive mother ordering for her son at a restaurant. "I am Agent Landez, and my partner is Agent Shores." The chubbier one nodded a greeting."

"Pleased to meet you. Did you come for a particular reason, or is this just a, ah, social visit?"

"Actually, we needed to speak to you about an agent you currently employ." Landez said.

"An Alex Rider." Shores volunteered.

"What about him?" Blunt's eyes hardened at the mention of his "agent".

"It was brought to our attention that he is a minor and he may not be totally willing to-" Landez was cut off.

"He is also not an _American. _So I don't see how this concerns _you." _

"When a child is being put in peril, intentionally, it concerns the _whole damn world." _

"_Is that a threat?" _Blunt hissed. "Is that a THREAT?"

"Well….uh…. erm…." The agents blustered.

"GET OUT OF MY BUILDING!" Blunt roared. "OUT!"

The agents scrambled out, and Blunt watched them go. _Bastards. _He turned to the phone and dialed a number he had memorized over the years. One he had hoped he would never have to use: Tulip Jones' always on, Emergency with a capital E cell phone. She picked up on the first ring.

"Tulip. We have a situation."

Alex was feeling awkward. They had already ordered, and hadn't spoken except for small talk. Alex was growing desperate. He needed to break the ice.

"So….are you still a champion surfer?" he asked, hoping for a safe answer.

"No. The day after you left, I went surfing and got dragged under. I haven't been able to go near the water since." She took a sip of tea.

"Oh." Alex stared. The Sabina he knew would not be able to recount such a tale without emotion. Not for the first time he wondered, _who is this girl? _

"Would you quit that?" she snapped.

"Quit what?" Alex said blankly.

"Quit looking at me like I'm some kind of alien."

"I'm not! You're just….different than I remember."

"Naw, really? You can't leave a person, with them thinking you're dead, and expect them not to change."

"I had no choice!"

"You know what? I'm sick of it. You have a choice. And so do I. Good bye, Alex. Don't call. Don't email. Just don't. I don't want to see you again. I'm leaving tomorrow. Don't try to find me_. Now,_ you have no choice."

She slapped a twenty dollar bill down on the table, gathered her purse and walked to the bus stop. Alex didn't follow her. His head rested against the back of the booth. He didn't know whether to feel angry, relieved or depressed. He dialed on his mobile a familiar number.

"Jack? Come take me home."

He stepped out of the restaurant after leaving a twenty of his own on the table, but the car that greeted him wasn't Jack's.

"Get in, Alex." said Ms. Jones.

**_Twenty Minutes later, at the briefing room, MI6 Headquarters _**

"Alex, we have a vague idea of where your corpses came from." Ms. Jones began. "A _vague _idea."

"After 9/11, whole new waves of terrorists were discovered. Most of them were still in the infancy stages, but some rocked the world. The terrorists were such a threat that we let the existing ones that we knew about slide. They laid low for a few months and the idiots at the CIA took them for gone. Now, they decide to strike back, but not at the U.S., but here, in England. You were the one that was to stop them." Blunt said.

"Were?" Alex asked, the relief evident in his voice.

"Yes, were. They found out what we meant to do. The plan to strike before them. They also found the agent we planned to send in. You. They weren't sure if you had been briefed yet, and so they sent a warning, just to be safe. If they killed you and you weren't on the case because their intelligence was wrong, they would have MI6 to contend to, as well as the entirety of Britain. "

"The corpses?" Alex asked, "but why corpses? And why 14? Who were they? Wouldn't knives be easier? They get the point across." Inwardly, Alex smiled at his own pun.

"Do you ever stop asking questions? Yes, the corpses. We identified the remains as been dead for quite some time. It obviously was a clue towards the identity that they expected us to know. That's why only corpses would work. We went back into the files before 9/11. The golden gangs' era.

These guys were the ones that could survive the three year wait before they made an encore appearance. They were strong before, and big enough that they could survive, even as more and more of the members tried to break off to join the more active gangs.

I say tried because none of them got that far. They were always killed, or paralyzed, or driven mad. And those were the lucky ones.

These were the gangs the CIA neglected. We kept a close tab, because it was not unusual for gangs to switch countries when it got to close for comfort." Blunt paused.

"We just ran a few simple searches with the keywords, corpse 14 gangs America. The search returned a hundred or so results. By narrowing it down to the biggest ones, we found the most likely match. They call themselves Silent Strife, and their sole objective seems to be making everyone miserable. They were one of the top ten gangs to hope you never ran into in '02, but they stopped making racket and now they have faded into the has-been list. Or, at least, that's what the want you think.

Their latest scheme was to blow up a bomb at the U.N. meeting, but they had a leak and we busted them. You were supposed to do it, but we got a phone call to say a kid would be too conspicuous, so we sent in Agent Knott instead. We believe we have a mole and that mole had faulty information. Silent Strife was suspicious of the information too, and so you only got a warning. You are lucky to be alive. They didn't think we'd sink to the level of using a kid to save the world."

"Neither did I," Alex muttered.

"Which brings us to the point of our little get together." Ms. Jones interjected, ending the glaring fest between Alex and Blunt. "Silent Strife is now reconsidering their decision to murder you. You have gotten to famous, and they pinpointed where all those busts came from…you. So, you got to get as far away from Britain and the States as you can. And fast. Where would you like to go? Think far, think south."

"Aruba?" Alex guessed.

"Wrong! Do you think we have the funds for that? No, you're going to St. Maarten/ Martin. Your pick."

"What's the difference?" Alex asked.

"What do they teach kids in school today?" Blunt interjected.

"St. Martin is half the island that is French." Ms. Jones said, ending yet another glaring war. _Men! _She thought. "The other half, St. Maarten's is Dutch. Its one island. "

"Oh." They both said.

Author's Notes—Yay! It's done! Finally, I figured out some answers. I kind of started just trying to get your attention, and thought I'd make sense of it later. At least this time it worked! My friends are slowly getting on the net. I'll introduce them as they join. My BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, just posted her first fan fic!. The path is….

**Books into the forests of the night Black Roses by Giggle Monkey **

Anyway, she is my best friend and a really good authoress. I love her forever and ever. Check out her stuff, k? It'll make her feel loved.

Moving right along, You are all DOOMEDMy daddy bought me more ice cream, so I will continue this series until you people tell me that it sucks so bad, if I write another chapter, you will find me and rip my fingers off. Or until I need more ice cream.

Please read and review…I won't know what you think unless you do.

**Read please,**

**I'm on my metaphorical knees**

**Hugging metaphorical trees**

**So please**

**Just review, dammit. **

Was it good, bad, awful, I'm dying, beautiful, why me?

I won't know unless you press that little purple button.

"KNSI! DO YOUR THING!"

**_Okay, okay. Doomed is such a baby. Can't even do her own coming soon without me. sigh it's good to be needed, but its better not to be. Anyway, if I do it good, I get a bite of ice cream! Mmmm…ice cream. GELATO! What was I doing again? Oh, yeah. _**

_**Coming Around Next Week…**_

_**Alex learns the wonders of Hawaiian kettle crisps**_

**_We're going to St. Maarten…or St. Martins?_**

_**The CIA—round 2 **_

_**Jack develops maternal instinct **_

_**More Silent Strife!**_

_**No, really…what the f. is with the corpses? **_

I really wrote a long chapter today, didn't I? I'm so happy. Please read and review. And remember to check out my bff's 1st story!

**Books into the forests of the night Black Roses by Giggle Monkey **

**Woot Woot! READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! **

**Love,**

**Doomed (and Kiki Nalani Saraphina Isabel) **


	4. The End of the Marionette

**Chapter 4— The End of the Marionette**

**By Doomed but over It **

**Reader Review Responses—**

Author's Notes—I really apologize for being so slow in updating. Between my job and a family vacation, I've had no time to write. Plus just a tiny bit of writer's block on my new story,** You Taste Like Blueberries. **I am sooooo sorry about that. Grr, this story has given me a headache. What to do next? Well, I started randomly typing, and quickly posted, so I really hope I don't turn you off of my writing forever. Thank you all. I'm really happy that so many of you reviewed. It's just making me the happiest fan writer in the whole wide world. Thankee dearly! Things involving me….I am tired and sleepy and my world may collapse upon me in my sleep. Nothing new, correct? My computer is being mean to me, because it sends those stupid green lines under all my fragment sentences. I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING MOST OF THE TIME! QUIT PUTTING THOSE ANNOYING LINES UNDER MY FRAGMENTS! Gosh. That's it for today, folks.

No more ranting,

No more weird looks,

My beta's telling me to hit the books.

Disclaimer—me no own, you no sue. Yo no tengo, tu no…erm….sue?

"KNSI!"

_**What do you effin' want? Oh, yeah. We proudly present---chapter 4…good night, I'm going back to bed. **_

"Kiki, that's not the name of the chapter."

_**I know. Good night, I'm going back to bed.**_

Stupid muse. Oh well. She's been wonky since she helped me out on my latest, **you taste like Blueberries. **It's a Rent fic. I really like it, but then again, I would. Anyway, the path is

**Other RENT You Taste like Blueberries**

Check it out, okay? Leave me a review or something. Fangs!

Without further adieu, I give you, Chapter 4- Hawaiian Sweet Onion Kettle Crisps! Enjoy! Mmmm, kettle crisps.

Alex rested his head on the window of the plane. He didn't really mind heights, but this was different. He had never been south of Skeleton Key. He was leaving everything he knew and loved, to a tropical prison halfway around the world. He knew no one near it, and he was to be under constant surveillance by undercover agents.

Contrary to his original belief, he was not to be watched by American agents, nor British, but French. This made him slightly nervous. He was generally a fan of French food, except escargot, but he had never worked with any of their agents before. It was always either Americans or the good old British. He wasn't quite sure what to expect. His stomach was filled with the butterflies that appeared every time he began a new project, performed an oral report, or embarked on another life-threatening mission. This didn't really fall neatly into any category…it was more of a new experience. He had never done this before. it was new, and he felt a kind of normalness around it.

_You know you have a problem when you consider a normal vacation novelty._ He thought ruefully. _What did I miss when I was out saving the world? What am I _doing_ here? _He thought, not for the first time. _Why did my uncle choose _meHe rested his head in his hands. Then, a new thought struck him. _I'm 14. How many people have I killed? How many people have I seen killed? How many people have I hurt? Why? So some government agency can maintain its reputation? _

At that moment, Alex made a decision. He wasn't going to be a puppet anymore. The French weren't going to ever see him. He wasn't going to run back to Britain.

Alex Rider was cutting his marionette strings.

**_Back at MI6 Headquarters…. Three Days Later _**

"YOU WHAT?" a murderous Jack Starbright screamed, grabbing Blunt's impeccably ironed tie and dragging him across the table. "How the hell do you lose a teenage boy, you self satisfied bastard? He's a boy, not your lunch!"

"Miss Starbright, contain yourself! You are being illogical. Calm down." Blunt said, dignified even as his tie became even more firmly entangled in Jack's grasping hands. Inwardly, he winced as it became harder to breathe. "And unhand my tie," he added.

Jack sat down heavily, and let go. But not before giving it a healthy yank. "Your 'illogical' can take a flying leap off an effin' lake. I want my baby back. I don't care what you have to do. Set the whole effin' military on it. Just find him. Or else."

Blunt could have laughed. "Or else?" he asked, mockingly. "or else what? What can a _woman_ in your position do to me?" he placed an ugly emphasis on _woman. "_You overestimate your influence. That might work with 14-year-olds, but you are out of your league with me. I am a generous man, so I will cut you a deal. Last shot, Miss Starbright."

As Jack listened, her face grew grimmer and grimmer. Finally, she gave a slow nod.

"I will personally see to it that you roast in Hell for the rest of eternity." She promised.

Blunt snorted. "Wait in line."

Author's Notes—Yeah, I know its short, and I know that I didn't stick to the coming soon, but I have a better idea, so you will just have to live with it. Sorry, maybe you like it better; maybe you're pissed at me. Oh, and for the record, no one says effin'…I wanted to keep my younger teens rating. I know, everyone knows what it stands for, but just keep me in happy denial. Please…


	5. An Offer You Can't Refuse

**Chapter 5---An Offer You Can't Refuse**

**By Doomed but Over It **

Author's notes--- REVIEW MORE, or I will get lazy. Yeah, I know. Greedy Doomed One! Go to the closet of shame! (Little Doomed) yes, Mommy.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE

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PLEASE PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE --ead and

PLEASE PLEASE --eview

And now, without further adieu, I give you, Chapter 5—An Offer You Can't Refuse.

Jack Starbright stared down twin points of darkness.

"I'll ask you one more time," said a voice from the darkness. "Where is Alex Rider?"

She struggled, testing the bonds that held her to the chair. She heard the gun cock.

"I'm not playing with you, Jack." He said. "You can't stop me from shooting you, so just give up and tell me where the punk is."

Jack shook, refusing to even speak to her captor. The man stepped out of the shadows, but his face was covered by a navy woolen baklava.

"Last warning, Jaclyn."

Jack looked up at the childhood name she hadn't used since 1st grade.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Tell me where the boy is."

"I don't know." she braced herself.

"Wrong answer." He said, and pulled the trigger.

**_Miles away, in a place that may or may not be close to Bermuda_ **

Alex listened intently on the phone to Tulip Jones.

"Alex." She said quickly. "I know where you are, but I'm on your side. If you had stayed, we would have continued to use you for years or until you got killed. I'll keep you updated. But listen. Don't talk. Jack was killed. Silent Strife is still out to get you. Lie low. Don't move. Just stay put. I'm sorry. Goodbye." Alex held the phone limply in his hand, mourning the only mother figure he had ever known, the last of his family.

"Hey, man, you done with that phone?" inquired the person behind him.

Tulip Jones hung up the phone turned and breathed a sigh of relief. She sank down on the table gratefully, before her knees gave out.

_I'm getting too old for this kind of thing. I simply must ask for a raise!_

She then jumped, startled and afraid. And she never jumped.

Alan Blunt was reclining in an office chair behind her, smiling smugly.

"My, my, Tulip…" he said.

**Well? Did you like it? Press the button, press the button! I'm holding my breath! Oh yeah, sorry about the shortness, but at least I didn't keep you in suspense. (Unlike _some _fan writers I could mention…) –cough--- GIGGLE MONKEY –cough-- **

**Keep Reading! And REVIEWING!**

**Love, **

**Doomed **

KNSI is sick today…that's my excuse if you hate it. Sorry. She is tired after coaching me through You Taste like Blueberries again…Check out my profile for updates on my stories. I love you all.


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